Monthly Archives: March 2017

Shakotan Hut provides an excellent base from which to explore peaks such as Mt. Shakotan-dake (積丹岳 – 1,255m) or Mt. Yobetsu (余別岳 – 1,298m) on the Shakotan Peninsula. About 40 minutes from the end of the snow-cleared section of dirt road, this is a public-transport accessible hut, free to use for overnight stays. As far as Hokkaido mountain huts go, it is a luxurious one – running spring water, a kerosene stove, and a large tatami living area. We stayed overnight there for a blue-sky ascent of Mt. Shakotan.

I hadn’t expected such a grandiose summit at the top of Mt. Mekunnai (目国内岳 – 1,220m). The summit looks pointy from a distance, but we were not prepared for the great frozen mountain of boulders, encrusted in a winter’s worth of wind-blown snow and frost, that greeted us almost out of nowhere. On a good day you'll get grand views along the compact but impressive Niseko Range.

In the 1920’s, several huts were constructed in the hills surrounding Sapporo by Hokkaido University professors and early European cultural figures. Their purpose was singular – extend the scope of ski touring possibilities in the Sapporo area. Here, we link together two of those huts – a hütten kette or […]

I once saw a photo of Mt. Piyashiri’s summit hut, encrusted in gale-crusted snow, and it launched my keen desire to do an overnight trip there in mid-winter. Hiro was mad enough (or perhaps naïve enough) to come along, so we made the 3-hour drive north from Sapporo, diving head-first […]

Last year I was here at Hakuginso Lodge (Fukiage Onsen) with three fellows from France and a fellow from Germany (story here). Today I was back with my brother-in-law from New Zealand to try our luck at Mt. Maetokachi (前十勝岳 – 1,790m). I was keen to capture this active volcano’s […]

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14degrees Off the Beaten Track is my (Rob Thomson's) online home. I live in Sapporo City, which is in Hokkaido, Japan's northern-most island. I am a guy with a day-job as a professor at Hokusei Gakuen University, but I like to explore new places and share the experience. I still haven't found the bottom of Hokkaido's enchanting depths. Cycle touring and backcountry ski touring are what keep me occupied here these days on my days off. Previously I cycled from Japan to Switzerland via Central Asia, and I hold the Guinness World Record for the Longest Journey by Skateboard (12,159km).